1975 Bristol 411 MkV

Registered on the 14th November 1975 with chassis number 77685XX, this car stands as a distinguished example of British automotive history and craftsmanship. The car has been the subject of an extensive and no-expense-spared restoration carried out in the early 2000s and completed in 2003.

The full aluminium body and 2-door / 4-seat saloon configuration weigh in at approximately 1700 kg. Under the bonnet lies a powerful 6.2-litre Big Block V8 engine, capable of delivering 340 bhp and an impressive 576 Nm of torque, which is an upgrade over the originally fitted 5.2-litre V8. This potent combination of power and agility allows the Bristol 411 Mk V to achieve remarkable performance, surprising even sports car owners as it swiftly approaches them at speeds as high as 130 mph on the German Autobahn.

All of this, together with its rarity and desirability, makes this particular example an exciting opportunity for any collector or Bristol fan.

The exterior appeal of the Bristol 411 Series V is timeless and sophisticated, capturing the essence of British automotive elegance. It boasts a sleek and aerodynamic design, characterised by smooth lines and subtle curves in all the right places.

Finished in Light Blue Metallic, the paintwork presents extremely well. There are a couple of minor blemishes, mainly a few small stone chips and a small scuff on the wing.

The brightwork around the car is in excellent condition with a bright finish; there is no damage to the headlights or indicators. The grille has a small amount of patina where the black coating has come off in places, but this shouldn’t take an enormous amount of work to refinish. The bonnet aligns well, with an equal gap on each side and further up, looking at the windscreen, there are no noticeable scratches to point out. There is a small amount of perishing to the rubber seal and some distortion to the chrome trim within the seal.

From the side, WOW, the Bristol really is slender and sleek. There were no dings or dents spotted and the doors appear to align as they should, with matching shut lines. The side windows are in good condition and finished with bright chrome around the frames. The car also has an electric sunroof, which operates correctly. This was installed by Hollandia, Haarlem, who also carried out the paintwork of the car.

At the rear end, there is a small amount of tarnishing to the finish on the rear bumper, the light lenses are free from damage, and the Bristol badge has the slightest amount of patina, just like the grille.

The painted silver steel wheels are enhanced with a chrome hubcap and trim, and these are all in good condition, as are the matching set of period tyres.

Stepping inside the Bristol 411 is somewhat of a time warp. The leather seats are original and do have some age-related patina on the front and rear. The door cards also have some patina in keeping with the age of the vehicle. These also have wood cappings which match the dashboard and are in good condition, just like the dashboard fascia; this also matches the wood-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel, which is in good order.

The instruments are reported to work correctly and the odometer shows a reading of 85,227 kilometres. Two things that have been mentioned are that the tachometer does stick and needs a gentle tap to start working, and the wipers will intermittently come on. 

Looking at the rest of the switchgear, it all appears to be working correctly, with just a small amount of age-related wear to the lettering on the buttons. There has been a Becker Mexico head unit installed; this does need a code and the volume and tuning buttons have gone a little sticky. 

With regards to creature comforts, the air conditioning is reported to be working correctly, as are the electric windows, cruise control, and electric sunroof.

The headlining is in very good condition, as this was replaced when the electric sunroof was installed. The carpets are generally in good condition with just a light amount of wear.

The 411 Series 5 engine has been upgraded to a Chrysler 6.2-litre V8 as the vendor preferred this over the smaller 5.2-litre unit originally fitted; this gives the Bristol an extra 85 bhp over the standard figures, significantly improving performance. The installation was carried out by AFH at the time of the restoration.

With the turn of the key, the big block V8 fires up without hesitation and sounds fantastic, with no issues reported by the vendor about the running of the car. This is coupled to the Torqueflite automatic transmission, both of which have been overhauled during the restoration.

Inside the engine bay is well presented, with no signs of any leaks or areas of concern. The underside is also in very good condition, having been treated with an anti-rust coating during the restoration.

On the road, the car handles as it should and is a pleasure to drive, enabling you to easily see why the Bristol was marketed as the ultimate gentleman’s luxury sports saloon. The brakes work as you would expect, bringing the 411 to a stop in a straight line.

The Bristol was exported to the Netherlands in 1996 by the vendor's brother-in-law, who was a lawyer and used it for his daily commute until he emigrated to Singapore in the early 2000s. This was when the vendor took over ownership of the British classic. As the car had been used daily, he felt it wasn’t presented as well as he would have liked and commissioned Amicale Facel Holland (AFH) to carry out the extensive restoration.

 

In excess of €100,000 has been spent on the car, and this is backed up by an extensive collection of invoices and photographs taken at various stages of the restoration, showing you just how much work has gone into making this 1975 classic what it is today.

There is also the original instruction book, two sets of keys, and some previous MoT certificates from when the car resided in the UK.

Since the restoration, the car has been thoroughly enjoyed by the vendor and, importantly, regularly serviced by AFH, who restored the 411. Please note that the car is registered in the Netherlands, therefore would require re-importing into the UK (we can assist with this).

The Bristol also has a claim to fame, as it was seen between 2017/2018 in a Dutch television show named “Tom’s England”.

For anyone looking to take ownership of a Bristol 411 Series V, this is a superb contender which should fulfil your expectations of owning the ultimate gentleman’s luxury sports saloon.

The extensive €100,000 restoration has been carried out to a very high standard, and the car still looks in excellent condition even though it was completed 21 years ago, making it a very desirable car to own, which we estimate will fetch between £46,000 - £52,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.